§ 38. Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been directed to the allegation that a German airship in a recent raid on the Norfolk coast was guided by signals from two motor cars, one of which was stopped in the town of King's Lynn on account of the bright lights which it was displaying in defiance of the regulation governing that particular; whether he is aware that the total number of male alien enemies remaining in prohibited areas was according to the latest available figures on 6th January 695, and of females in the same category 2,302; whether alien enemies had been removed from the eastern coast line by order of a responsible military officer; if so, whether the order so given has been suspended by or at the instance of the Home Office; whether any particulars have been preserved of the motor car or cars stopped in King's Lynn for infringement of the regulations about lights on the night of the German air raid on that town; and whether alien enemies will in future be permitted to reside within the prohibited areas in the conditions now applying to their presence in such districts?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Prime Minister has asked me to reply to this question. The allegations mentioned in the first part of the question have been carefully investigated by the Norfolk constabulary, who have traced eight cars which were on the roads about the times and places of 403 the Zeppelin's passing. The cars whose movements, have been described in letters to the "Times" and "Morning Post" have been identified, and in each case their movements, though consistent with the stories told in the papers, have been satisfactorily explained. The occupants of the cars were all persons against whom there is no possible ground of suspicion. The figures given in the second part of the question refer to the prohibited areas on the East and South Coasts. The answer to the third and fourth parts of the question is that no orders for the removal of alien enemies from the East Coast have been suspended by or at the instance of the Home Office. As regards the fifth point, no car was stopped at King's Lynn for infringement of regulations—there was no order then in force at King's Lynn prohibiting bright head lights—but after the passing of the Zeppelin several cars were warned to extinguish their lights on account of the danger. Under the Aliens Restriction Act no alien enemies are permitted to reside in the prohibited areas except with the consent of the chief constable in consultation with the military authorities.
§ Mr. McKENNAIt is very difficult to be certain on any matter, but I am advised by responsible naval and military authorities that they were Zeppelins.